It seems that as emotions become more subtle and deep, is is harder to express them.
Think of the love between an old couple and a bunch of newly weds who can’t stop repeating “I love you” to each other...eventually there seems to be a point where you don’t need to say it anymore.
I’ve had a similar experience to you with the death of a loved one. The grief was so deep and overwhelming that no action (not even crying) could express it properly.
So I’ve concluded that surface emotions are easily expressed and you need a master to really express the depths (in the form of art, poetry etc.)
It's always nice to be pleasantly surprised by someone.
I've noticed from personal experience that it's often easier to grieve for animals than for our own relatives.
The loss of my grandmother overwhelmed me so much that it could have passed for indifference.
The organs of grief seemed to have been seared away, like I had stared at the sun.
On the other hand I've wept over the loss of some of my pets.
Coincidentally, shortly after the loss of my grandmother, I was sick for three years with all sorts of undiagnosable problems.
It was only after I started feeling physically better that I recognized the depth of my grief. It felt like I might have followed her into the grave if I hadn't pulled out of it in time.